A wide variety of amusement rides exist where the occupants ride in passenger carriages that rotate around a central axis along with rides that oscillate in a back and forth action using a counter balance. Many of these rides are often cumbersome taking a large amount of room and provide only one or two alternating actions. The multiple arm oscillating, rotating amusement ride is an amusement ride based off angular momentum, a physical principle entirely underutilized, by the amusement industry. The ride will change shape through simple mechanisms that will affect its angular velocity which is normally free to change due to inertial changes. This unique style of thrill ride with numerous alternating actions has been developed with a central unit that will rotate on a vertical axis in either direction with one or more oscillating arms pivoting on a horizontal axis that have passenger carriages at the distal ends that additionally freely rotate. The passenger units remain upright through a four-bar linkage or cable and gimble system.
Numerous innovations for amusement rides have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present design as hereinafter contrasted. The following is a summary of those prior art patents most relevant to this application, at hand; as well as a description outlining the difference between the features of the multiple arm oscillating, rotating amusement ride and the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,777 of Alfeo Moser et al, describes an amusement ride presenting a platform; two parallel vertical uprights extending upwards from the platform; two arms fitted to respective uprights and rotated by drive means about a first horizontal axis; and a passenger car fitted to the arms and rotating about a second axis; characterized in that the car presents a supporting structure, and three rows of seats fitted to the structure and all facing in the same direction
This patent describes an amusement ride with two parallel vertical uprights extending upwards from the base with two rotating arms having a single passenger car. It does not incorporate the pendulum or rotational action of the multiple arm oscillating, rotating amusement ride.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,127 of William Joel Kitchen tells of an amusement ride including a tower that pivotably supports an elongated boom that includes an extended end and a pivot. A passenger carriage is pivotably attached to the extended end of the boom. The shorter end of the boom includes a moveable counterweight that is operable for raising the boom. The boon is then locked, the counterweight is moved, and the boom is released to swing freely. The movable counterweight includes first and second storage tanks and a counterweight fluid, and at least one pump for moving the counterweight fluid between the first and second storage tanks. Passengers are loaded into the passenger carriage when the boom is in the down position. The boom is then raised by moving the counterweight fluid into the first storage tank. After the boom is raised, a brake is set to lock the boom in the raised position, and the counterweight fluid is moved into the second storage tank. The operator then lowers the boom by releasing the brake. The boom swings through approximately 270 degrees, and the passenger carriage may make a 360 degree loop at the end of the first swing.
This patent tells of a fluid actuated oscillating, boom amusement ride where the passenger carriage has the capability of swinging a 360 degree loop. This ride uses just one elongated boom with a single passenger carriage and does not rotate at the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,674 of E. Clay Slade et al. relates to an amusement ride for providing vertical movement of a passenger is disclosed. Typically, a support tower having a vertical movement mechanism defining a vertical movement path is present. The carriage is typically coupled to the movement mechanism for providing travel along the vertical movement path. Connected to the carriage is a support structure which extends radially from the carriage for supporting passenger seats. The support structure can be a wall, a rigid post, or some other structure extending outwardly front the tower. In one embodiment, the seats can be positioned along the support structure such that a first seat is closer to the carriage than a second seat. The passenger seats can be positioned to face outwardly or toward other passenger seats. Additionally, the passenger seats can be coupled to the support structure along a support structure side, above the support structure, beneath the support structure, or any combination thereof.
This patent relates to an amusement ride with a vertical movement of a passenger carriage up and down a support tower. It does not have any kind of oscillation or rotational movement of multiple passenger carriages.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,118 of Stanley J. Checketts describes a pneumatically actuated swing ride that has rigid swing members rotating about a shall in a pendulum style of swinging ride. The ride operates with rigid swing members raising one or more riders in a scat platform or gondola up and then accelerates them down through an arc in the pendulum style of swinging movement. The controlled upward movement, a brief delay, and the accelerated downward movement produce weightlessness in the ride that is unmatched in the industry. The weightless effect is incurred at both ends of the arc and every time the cycle is made. By using a pneumatic cylinder, air is used as an air cushion both accelerating and decelerating the ride, giving complete control of the ride.
This patent describes a pneumatically actuated swing ride that has rigid swing members rotating about a shaft in a pendulum style of swinging ride but does not rotate at the base to produce a spinning ice dancer effect and can only incorporate a single passenger carriage.
None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the multiple arm oscillating, rotating amusement ride. The present design achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing readily available materials.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the multiple arm oscillating, rotating amusement ride in detail it is to be understood that the design is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement, of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The multiple arm oscillating, rotating amusement ride is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present design. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present application.